DECEMBER 29, 2007 MS. ZUIDERDAM
Well, The Savvy Old Lady and The Crabby Old Guy once again are in search of new adventures on the High Seas; this time it's a New Year's Eve Adventure. Instead of having to deal with the hassle of finding the ideal place to celebrate the New Year, you know the routine...overpriced restaurants, exorbitantly priced hotel rooms, and drunk drivers on the road we decided to have a stress free New Year onboard Holland America's MS. Zuiderdam with an Eastern Caribbean itinerary. What better way to relax and enjoy the ringing in of 2008 then on a cruise ship with luxury and pampering at our beck and call.
Since Crabby and I have become "empty nesters" we are now able to take advantage of the spontaneity of booking a cruise two days before sailing and not have to worry about our five little cherubs (besides, they each told us that they were busy with friends and spouses for New Year's Eve and it became abundantly apparent to us with a week to go in the year that it was going to be just Crabby and I.) Isn't this the day that all parents look forward to? Yes! So, on Dec 27, we called Holland America Cruise Lines and spoke to Kurt, one of their agents, who quickly and efficiently booked a verandah suite on the Zuiderdam for us with a Dec 29 sailing. Now I have to say with holiday cruises being so popular we were quite fortunate to find a cancellation and book our cruise immediately. Our next call was to our five children wishing them all a happy and safe New Year and advising them that Dad and I were going to be out of touch for the week since we had just booked a cruise. Were they surprised? Well, as our youngest daughter, Kaitlyn, said, "I have the craziest parents in the world. You two are like the "Where's Waldo" of the senior set. Have fun!" The very next morning we were packed and on our way to Fort Lauderdale, Florida where we stayed at the Comfort Inn West for one night and the next morning after complimentary breakfast we took the complimentary ten o'clock shuttle to the Port Everglades pier to board the Zuiderdam.